Aerodrome.



DE WITT o. MUGA'LLUM.

AERODROME. APPLIATION FILED JUHE 1910.

ln venor Attorneys DE WITT C. MGGALLUM. AERoDRoM P A PLIUATION FILED JUNE 3 191D Y June 27,

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Attorneys DE WITT C. MUC'ALLUM. AERODROME.

APPLIUA'HUN FILED JUNE a, 191.0.

996,105. Patented June 27, 1911 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 Witnesses if 0L* W Attorneys Tamil whom "it man concern:

UNlTED STATES l PATENT oEEIcE.

DE WITT CLINTON MOCALLUM, 0F LOSANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

AERODROME.

Specication of Letters Patent. Patented June 27, 1911.

Application tiled June 3, 1910. Serial No. 564,768.

Beit known that I, DE WITT CLINTON MCCALLUM, a citizen of the United States, residing, at Los Ang es, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Aerodrome. of which tlioffollow'ing is a specification.

This .invention relates to aerodromes or air ships of the heavier than air type and one ofits objects is to provide a machine Q f this character utilizing;r opposed revolnbler series of elevating planes mounted for movement about axes extending longitiulinally of the machine, each of said planes beingr so constructed as to produce thc maximum displacement of air during the downward movement thereof but which are adapted to move upwardly with practically no resistance from the atmosphere.

A further object is to combinepropelling blades with the revoluhle series of elevating planesf these blades being shiftable about their longitudinal axes so that the driving power thereof can be varied at will and the machinereadily reversed or turned as a re-` sult of the manipulation of the blades.

Another o bjcct is to provide manually operated means for balancing the machine fore and aft, said balancing mechanism being op eratively connected with a shiftable floor adapted to be maintained substantially horizontal irrespective of the forward or backward tilting of the sustaining planes and the other parts of the elevating and propelling n'icchanism.

A still further object is to provide a machine having a frame which is compact, light and `dt.irable.

VVit-h these and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

ln the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown..

ln said drawings z-Figure l is a plan view of thc machine. Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a side elevation. Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of one-of the elevating planes. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of one set of radial frame braces. Fig. 6 is an y elevation of a portion of the centralV shaft ofV for connectingr a gear to the spokes of the j revoluble structure. A

Referring to the figures by characters of 'reference 1 designates corner postsformed of light trussed rods or tubes and connected together adjacent their ends by base strips 2 and, at their upper c Lds by top strips 3. these last mentioned strips being extended from side to side of the machine and being preferably arranged in pairs. as shown especially in Fig. 2. Braces 4 may connectthese top strips with' the corner posts so as to produce a'rigid frame capable of withstanding all ordinary strains to which the machine may be subjected while in flight.

A central longitudinally extending frame 5 is mounted upon the middle portions of the cross strips 3 and the adjoining portions of the braces 4, this frame being made up of upper and lower strips connected at their ends, the said strips projecting beyond the front and rear ends of the frame of the machine. The lower strip 5 of the frame 5 constitutes a track on which are mounted tends rearwardly from the upper sheave 8,V

over and downwardly from an intermediate .guide sheave 10 and to a .drum 11 about which it is wrapped. An intermediate portion of the cord is looped and hangs down wardly from the drum ll assliown at 12. said cord being extended from the drum and secured at one end to the rear end of the .weight 7. The cord is so arranged on the drum that when one run thereof is pulled downwardly the'drum 11 will be rotated and the cord will pull the weight 7 in one direction while, when the other run..of the loop 12 is pulled downwardly, the rotation of the drum 11 will be reversed and the weight 7 `will be drawn in .the opposite direction. By means of this cord with its depending loon 12, the weight 7 can be shifted so as to shift the center of gravity so as to either maintainV the frame substantially lhorizontal los while the load thereon is lshifted o1' to tilt` the frame and the mechanism carried thereby so as to control the Hight, of the machine..

A smaller drum 13 rotatesI with the drum 1l and has separate cords l-lsecured to it and adapted to be wound thereon, these cords extending' over guide sheaves 15 secured to the front top strip t and hanging downwardly from said sheaves, the lower ends ot' the cord being attached to the movable end of a tloor 1G hingedly connected at its rear end to the base frame ot the machine. The two drums l1 and 13 are so proportioned that when the main portion of the machine is tilted by shifting the weight 7, the floor 16 is either raised or lowered relative to the base frame 2 so as to be. maintained substantially horizoiital.

The machine is provided with two series ot' elevatii'ig and propelling devices. one of the, series being located at each side ot` the upper portion of the trame. lhe mechanism at each side of the machine consists of a longitudinally extending tubular shaft 17 which is held againstA rotation in any suitable manne1 and has a longitudinal slot 18 therein adjacent its center.

A. Sleeve 19 is mounted to rotate -upon each end portion o the tubular shaft 17, there being: a gear Q secured to one of the slet-res while a disk 21 is secured to the other sleeve. Sockets Q2 are formed within each sleeve and eonatitute end bearings for radially extending' stems Q3., the .outer ends ot which are formed with propeller blades` 24. Arms Q extend radially from these stems (see Fig. tl) and are attached` by means ot' links 2G, to collars 27 which are tixedly mounted upon a sleeve 28. This sleeve is slidably mounted on the shaft 17 and has an interior annular groove Qt) into which project one oumore pins radiating' from a rod 81 which is slidable within the shaft 17. This rod extends beyond one end of the shaft; and is connected to one end of a lever 3Q fulcrumed, as at 3ft, upon an arm 34 eX- tendinef rearwardly from the machine. ,An operating rod is attached to the lower end otl the lever 2Q and by means thereof said lever can be actuated so as to shift the rod 31 longitudinally within the stationary tubular sha t't` 1,7. By reason of the pin connections between the rod 35 and the sleeve. said sleeve 28-can thus be moved along said tubular shaft so as to simultantmusly swing: all of the arms in the same direction and thus move the blades 2:1 about: their central lonnitndinal axe's or, in other words, simultaneously vary the pitches of the propeller blades. As t-he sleeve QS has au interior annular groove engaged by the pin 20, it will be seen that; said sleeve is free to rotate about the shaft 174 with the sleeve 1t)l and the propellers24.

Spokes 36 are extended radially from the socketed portions ot' the sleeves 1t) and are t'tpiidistant l'rom the stems 235, the outer ends ot' the spokes beinp'lconneeted by braces 37 ex Andinggg lronl the Vspokes,y to collarv 2th in which the outer end portions ol' the stems Il are mounted to rotate. llraces extend t'rom the disk 2l and the sprocket '2th as indicated at ttl and are attached to the spokes 3G and the collars 43S.

The spokes at the two ends otI the sha l't t7 are connected, adjacent their inner ends-- by bowed eonntaftingl strips 4t). These st rips are provided at intermediate points with radial brace-s in the t'rm of elongated loops l 1 extending' around the, strips 40 and straddline' the shaft 17, there being filling strips IQ interposed between the shaft and the strips v10 and secured to the straps -4-1. lt is otE course to be understood that. these. braces rotate upon the shaft V17 with the spokesl to which the strips 4t) are attached.

The collars 3S may be formed at the ends ot' connectingl strips 43. The spokes 3G, stems 23, and the connections l() and thus form a rigid frame mounted t'or rotation about the shaft 17.

motor 4l is mounted upon the base, lt'rame 2 and has a gear 45 upon its shaft' and. a sprocket 46 also secured to said. shaft. (leur Al5 meshes with a gear -li' and a Sprocket -18 rotates with the gear 47. A chain 49 is driven by each sprocket 48, one of these chains bein;` mounted on each ot' the sprockets 20. lt will thus be seen that the two sprockets .20 will be simultaneously rotated in opposite directions and the revoluble frames at the twolsides of the machine will thus be revolved.

rlhe outer cud portions of the spokes 3G are arranged adjacent bearings for trunnions 5() extendingr from the ends of the frames ot the elevating' planes 51. llach ot' these planes preferably consists of upper and lowerybowed side strips 52 and upper and lower end-strips :'33, there being blocks 54 secured 'between these end strips and from which tl'ie'trum'iions o0 extend. rl`he side strips .1:2 are connected by opstanding' braces and angular cross strips .'36 are arranged above aud` below the side stripsand connect said strips. rlhese cross strips Gonstitute rests 'for diagonally disposed brace 'wires 57,' tbe upper strips 56 abo serving to'support-wires 5S extending longitudinally ot the frame and supporting flaps 52 of silk or other suitable, 'tabritn 'lhese laps are so pro|mrtioned asI to swing againstthe wires 5S and lap one another when the plane. is movingl di'nvnwardly, While. when said plane is moving` innyardly, the flaps will assume vertical positions and permit air to pas-a vfreely between them.

Une trunnion of each frame 5| has a sprocket di() secured to it, said sprocket being,` engaged by a chain 6l mounted on al enanos sprocket 62 which is fastened to the shaft 17 and is held against rotation thereon. It will be seen therefore that if three of these elevating planes are carried by each rotating structure, three sprockets 62 will be fixedly secured to thexed shaft 17, one being rovided for each of vthe planes '1. he sprockets 60 and 62 are of the same diameter and, while 'only one sprocket has been shown in connection with each frame 51, it is to be understood that if preferred, one of these sprockets may be arranged on each of the trunnions 50 of each plane 51.I The connections between the sprockets 60 land 62 `are such that during the rotation ofthe spokes 36, the elevating planes will be'constantly maintained. parallel' to one another and to the base frame 2.

When it is desired toelevate the `machine eller blades 38 are shifted by the rods 35 and levers 32 so that all of the blades at each end of the machine will lie in the same plane of rotation. The blades will therefore ablc resistance therefrom and a high speed of rotation of the plane carrying spokes 36 can thus be obtained. The chain 49irotates the sprocket 20 and the spokes 36 and stems 23 are'moved about the shaft 17. the chains 61 and the sprockets 60 and 62 serving to maintain the planes constantlyparallel to one another. As these planes travel'downwardly. the aps 59 carried thereby will swing upwardlyagainst the Wircs'S and cause the downward displacement of the air and the consequent upward movement of I'the entire machine, it being noted 'that -the 4two sets of planes rotate in op osite directions as indicated by arrows in ig. 2. During the upward movement of each of the elevating planes, the flaps 59 are swung downwardly away from the wires so as to permit the air' to passbetween them and thus oter practically no resistance to the upward movement of the planes. After the machine,` has attained a desired elevation it can be propelled either forwardly or backwardly by shifting.' the blades 24 bymcans of rods 34 and levers 32. Shouldall of the blades be given the same pitch, the machine will be driven straight ahead but, by swinging the blades atl one side of the machine to a greater extent than those at lthe other side the machine can be turned to one side without the necessity of utilizingr 'a rudder for steering it. this being due to the fact that one set of blades will exert a greater driving action than thc other set. By shifting one set of blades 24 so thatjhey will he pitched directly the reverse of the other set, the machine can be very 'quickly turned.

Bv shifting the weight 7. the loadrarried by the machine can he counter- Qi .tar immediately following vtravel through the air without any notice he extended from the ends ofthe central he motor 44 is set in motion and the probalanced prior the startinglo N the madiine and, while the machine isi-in flight, this weight can be moved so as to tilt all arts of the machine with the exception ofp the Hoor 16 so that the elevating planes durin their movement about *he shafts 17, wiliexert not only an elevating i action, but will also tend to propel the machine cither forwardly or backwardly, according to the direction in which it is tilted. The course of the. machine can thus be readily controlled. this manipulation of the weight being lspecially advantageous when it is desired to soar upwardly or downwardly without dcpendin altogether upon the elevating action of f e planes,` due to the rotation thereof.

Importance is attached to the fact that each of the elevating planes issubstantially concavo-convex, the lower face of theplane being concaved so as to more positively act 35 upon the air and thus increase the efliciency of the planes as sustaining means.

It is to be understood of course that braces may be arranged wherever desired upon the machine. For example, guy wires 63 may 90 strips 3 and along diverging lines to the upper ends of the corner posts 1. Also, curved braces' 64 may beconnected tothe ends ofthe spokes 36, the stems 23 being journaled within them. i.

As has been stated, the outer ends of the spokes are arranged adjacent bearings in which the trunnions 50 are mounted. shown in Figs. 8 and 9 the said spokes are connected by means of .cross strips 65 to thev braces 64 and a bearing block 65 is adjustably mounted between the braces '64 andis conn'cted, by means of a screw 66 to a cap plate 67 secured to the outer ends of the braces 64. This screw is swiveled within the block 65 and by adjusting the screw, the block can be shifted between the braces so as to move the trunnion 50 journaled therein away from the shaft 17 and thus take up the slack in the chain 61. The braces 37 are connected preferably to the ends of cap plates 67. A clip 68 extends aroundythe braces 64 and the blocle 65 and, when t'igl'ltened, prevents displacement lof, the parts.

It is of'course to `be understood that various changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages ofthe invention as defined in thc. appended claims.

l. An acrodrome including a main frame, structures rcvolublc about', axes extending longitudinally Lof thc frame at the sides thereof. means carried by :rnd rcvoluhle with each of the stille-turcs for propellingl the machine,lonln/itudinall-v and mcans carried by und `rcvolublc with cach of llic structures for` iiopelling the machine upwardly.

Q. An :wi'odrome including :iy nniin frzuno, structures carried thereby uml niountml 'for rotation about axes oxloncling longitudinally of the frame, Said structures being arranged sido by side, elevating planes carried by nach of Suid structures, means` for maintainingl :ill of thc planes purfillnl willi the plano of'llw axes of the structures. propvlling bhulvi radiating from and revnluble with czwh of said Structures, and moans for varying:l thv pitch of said blades during the rotation of the structures.

3. An aerodrome inclucliilg Structures; mounted for rotation in (apposita directions, elevating' planen carried by Suid Structures, propeller blades mounted 0n :incl revolubln with the said structures, and extending radially beyond the structures, and means for Simultaneously rotating all of the blades upon each structure l0 vary the pitch thereof.

4. In un aerodrome a main frame, elevatiing mechanism connected thereto, u longi i lmlinally movable wvig'hl carried lay llie Yli'nuw` :l tillublo Hom, nml moans for sin11|l innvonsly shifting the weight :ind floor to lill ilw nmiu. from und maintain tho floor rnzbL-slunlinlly horizontal.

An :ii-rodi'oniu including' u 11min frame, olovnling moclizinimn vnrriml thereby, u lmipgliulnnlly oxtvmling mick upon the fl'nnu' mul cxlcmlngg boyonfl onu ond llinieof. n iwiglil nimnlily nionnlff! on tho li'ueli. manually Opm-:imi nieune-4 For shifting; said -iwiglit to allungo the conti-r of gravity, und a lillnble lool' carried luy the nniin frame :Intl whiflnblo by said wuiglit actuating moans.

ln testimony that l claim llic foregoing as iny own, l have hm'vfo nlixed my Signature in tho presence of lwo witnosson.

DE WITT CJN'I'ONMCCALLUM. lV il nvssos t S. K. PARKS, (liao. loMmzoY. 

